Italy to give regions powers to roll back coronavirus lockdown

At a meeting between ministers and local government leaders on Monday, the coalition agreed, however, that Italy’s 20 regions could set their own pace, defusing a growing source of strife among political parties. “We have always said that if the contagion data were encouraging, we would have brought forward the reopening,” said Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio. “The regions will (shortly) receive guidelines to open bars, restaurants, hairdressers and beauty clinics from May 18,” he added on Twitter. Almost 31,000 Italians have died of COVID-19 since the outbreak came to light on Feb. 21, the third-highest death toll in the world after that of the United States and the UK.